For their debut recording, the Jupiter String Quartet chose two masterpieces of the quartet repertoire. "Dmitri Shostakovich's 'String Quartet No. 3' and Benjamin Britten's 'String Quartet No. 2' provide us with two of the most powerfully personal reflections upon the dark chaos of World War II. Although differing in their musical language, both works capture a sense of personal vulnerability in the face of large-scale war. Both quartets are epic in structure, but their universal outlook is constantly challenged by the emotional details of individual human suffering, and this is what makes their overall impression so profound."